CircuitMaker vs KiCad:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, KiCad had more branded searches than CircuitMaker among PCB design software worldwide. KiCad had about 246,000 branded searches, while CircuitMaker had 4,400. KiCad made up 24.8% of all PCB design software searches we track, and CircuitMaker accounted for 0.44%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about PCB design software, KiCad appeared in all five answers and CircuitMaker in two. KiCad was mentioned before CircuitMaker in every answer.
Who do people search for more?
KiCad, about 56 searches for every 1 for CircuitMaker
Who does AI mention more?
KiCad, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
KiCad, named ahead of CircuitMaker in every answer
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Top PCB design software in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, KiCad appeared in all five answers. CircuitMaker was mentioned in two out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in both Google AI Overviews. KiCad was listed before CircuitMaker in every answer.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
- KiCad1st
EasyEDA2nd
Altium3rd
Fusion 3604th
OrCAD5th
CircuitMaker6th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Fusion 3605 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- KiCad5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- EasyEDA5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Altium5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- OrCAD3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- CircuitMaker2 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about PCB design software
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which PCB design software should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best PCB design software options?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best PCB design software for circuit board design?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“pcb design software”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“pcb design tools”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is CircuitMaker or KiCad more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for CircuitMaker and KiCad by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six PCB design software we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for KiCad, CircuitMaker. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Fusion 360 | KiCad | EasyEDA | Altium | OrCAD | CircuitMaker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 54.6% | 16.4% | 20% | 6% | 2.2% | 0.8% |
| Nov 2025 | 54.9% | 16.5% | 20% | 6% | 1.8% | 0.81% |
| Dec 2025 | 57.8% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 5.2% | 1.6% | 0.69% |
| Jan 2026 | 61.8% | 15.2% | 15.2% | 5.6% | 1.7% | 0.61% |
| Feb 2026 | 55.2% | 16.6% | 20.2% | 6.1% | 1.5% | 0.54% |
| Mar 2026 | 50.7% | 18.5% | 22.7% | 5.6% | 2% | 0.5% |
| Apr 2026 | 50.9% | 18.6% | 22.8% | 5.6% | 1.7% | 0.5% |
| May 2026 | 46.6% | 20.8% | 25.5% | 5.1% | 1.5% | 0.46% |
| Jun 2026 | 50.3% | 18.4% | 22.5% | 6.8% | 1.7% | 0.4% |
| Jul 2026 | 53.1% | 19.5% | 19.5% | 5.8% | 1.7% | 0.34% |
| Aug 2026 | 50.3% | 22.5% | 18.4% | 6.8% | 1.7% | 0.4% |
| Sep 2026 | 45.3% | 24.8% | 20.2% | 7.4% | 1.8% | 0.44% |
How has the CircuitMaker and KiCad comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- KiCad was ahead of CircuitMaker in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, CircuitMaker’s share of searches among PCB design software worldwide moved from 0.8% to 0.44%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 8.1K to 4.4K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, KiCad’s share of searches among PCB design software worldwide moved from 16.4% to 24.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 165K to 246K.
How did search popularity change for PCB design software worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, KiCad gained share of searches among PCB design software worldwide, from 22.5% to 24.8%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for CircuitMaker worldwide fell 45.7% over 12 measured months, from 8.1K to 4.4K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using CircuitMaker’s and KiCad’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
CircuitMaker
1 branded search term
- circuitmaker
KiCad
1 branded search term
- kicad
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